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Senior Member

I find resting my left foot on the floor, not the hats pedal occasionally helps my balance for some fills and some energetic kick pedal work. My left foot pounds the h*** on the hihat pedal, so could be the reason.

Senior Member

Senior Member

My "resting" drumming position is looking left, almost over my left shoulder - to the extent people wonder what I'm looking at. One venue I play I'm set back in bay window, and people thought something interesting was happening outside.

I'm actively trying to break this habit as it's very disengaging from the band and audience!

*Edit* Just for further clarity, this is only when gigging - not when practising or rehearsing

Platinum Member

I catch myself watching the stick logo rotate a lot. I read somewhere once that if the logo doesn't rotate, you are holding the sticks wrong or too tight. That was like 20-25 years ago, but for some reason I still watch.

"Uncle Larry"

My "resting" drumming position is looking left, almost over my left shoulder - to the extent people wonder what I'm looking at. One venue I play I'm set back in bay window, and people thought something interesting was happening outside.

I'm actively trying to break this habit as it's very disengaging from the band and audience!

*Edit* Just for further clarity, this is only when gigging - not when practising or rehearsing

FWIW...I used to look left (I'm right handed). Ithink it's a bad habit that should be addressed. I felt that I was favoring one side of my brain by looking to one side. I don't know if there's any basis in fact to that, it just feels more right to me. My goal was equal capability with both hands. I tried everything I could think of to fight the tendency to rely on my strong side the most. Which in my mind, included looking off to one side. Anyway, I found that looking straight ahead...at least psychologically, I felt I was more "present" if you will. I felt I was using both halves of my brain more equally. Then I started looking right to counter balance my left looking tendencies. I don't look right or left anymore. I try and look straight ahead and up, and zone out instead. It's the little things that all have to be considered. It's a constant polishing process.

"Uncle Larry"

I catch myself watching the stick logo rotate a lot. I read somewhere once that if the logo doesn't rotate, you are holding the sticks wrong or too tight. That was like 20-25 years ago, but for some reason I still watch.

Well-known member

- I will designate a "cymbal" stick in my RH and a "drum" stick in my left on the first use, and then they have to be the same stick in the same hand every time I play...
- I can not work the pedals with shoes on. I play barefoot at every gig whether it is a wedding, outdoors, dive bar etc.
- for the past 35 years, the song I warm up to - in any situation - is Subdivisions by Rush
- I will not eat 24 hours before a gig; my nerves get my stomach to fired up
- I ALWAYS have White Castles after a gig to break the above mentioned fast...that started after my first gig in 79
- I always have to be first to a gig, and am usually there as early as the venue will let me in. This carry's over from hockey for me. My superstition was that I had to be first in the locker room
- I don't like other people to help me set up or take down my set, but only b/c I feel guilty about them having to do work. I feel like I am being lazy...

Platinum Member

- I will designate a "cymbal" stick in my RH and a "drum" stick in my left on the first use, and then they have to be the same stick in the same hand every time I play...
- I can not work the pedals with shoes on. I play barefoot at every gig whether it is a wedding, outdoors, dive bar etc.
- for the past 35 years, the song I warm up to - in any situation - is Subdivisions by Rush
- I will not eat 24 hours before a gig; my nerves get my stomach to fired up
- I ALWAYS have White Castles after a gig to break the above mentioned fast...that started after my first gig in 79
-

I do have OCD things show up, and that is one of them. (I am a "counter" - I count stairs as I go up them, tiles or bricks in a wall as I pass by etc...). My OCD also shows up when packing the trailer..it is exactly the same every time, and I freak out a bit if something is not there, or somethign extra is there...usually guitar cabs etc.

I can' t even do socks! I tell people before they hire me to avoid any situations

The food thing is more due to IBS than anything else, but anxiety probably is part of it

Senior Member

My "resting" drumming position is looking left, almost over my left shoulder - to the extent people wonder what I'm looking at. One venue I play I'm set back in bay window, and people thought something interesting was happening outside.

I'm actively trying to break this habit as it's very disengaging from the band and audience!

*Edit* Just for further clarity, this is only when gigging - not when practising or rehearsing

Senior Member

FWIW...I used to look left (I'm right handed). Ithink it's a bad habit that should be addressed. I felt that I was favoring one side of my brain by looking to one side. I don't know if there's any basis in fact to that, it just feels more right to me. My goal was equal capability with both hands. I tried everything I could think of to fight the tendency to rely on my strong side the most. Which in my mind, included looking off to one side. Anyway, I found that looking straight ahead...at least psychologically, I felt I was more "present" if you will. I felt I was using both halves of my brain more equally. Then I started looking right to counter balance my left looking tendencies. I don't look right or left anymore. I try and look straight ahead and up, and zone out instead. It's the little things that all have to be considered. It's a constant polishing process.

Interesting I'm not the only one gazing over the left shoulder - it's only when grooving (need to look at the drums to hit them), but yeah, trying to break the habit. Can't say I've noticed it leading to being more RH dominant (beyond what I normally do anyway). Interesting idea to look right as a counter-balancing exercise, will give it a go.

Platinum Member

I used to play traditional grip, with a heavier stick in my left hand.
These days I play matched sticks, matched grip, and can play faster, smoother and more accurately.
I still sometimes move to trad grip for jazz swing. It feels right, even though I know I play with less control and finess that way.

Member

My weird thing is cranking my head as far to my left as it will go as if I'm trying to see if I can make it do a 180. It's totally subconscious, terrible for my posture/ergonomics, and if it goes on for too long without me realizing I actually will almost be in in pain from it. I know it sounds stupid and like an easy thing to 'just not do' but it's at it's worst when I play live so if I really get into a groove I won't even realize I'm doing it. For some reason it is a natural (un)comfort zone that my body just slips into. Years ago I used to hunch forward really bad, and sometimes still do, but the more aware I became of that and trying to stop it... The more it turned into a head cock.

Well-known member

My weird thing is cranking my head as far to my left as it will go as if I'm trying to see if I can make it do a 180. It's totally subconscious, terrible for my posture/ergonomics, and if it goes on for too long without me realizing I actually will almost be in in pain from it. I know it sounds stupid and like an easy thing to 'just not do' but it's at it's worst when I play live so if I really get into a groove I won't even realize I'm doing it. For some reason it is a natural (un)comfort zone that my body just slips into. Years ago I used to hunch forward really bad, and sometimes still do, but the more aware I became of that and trying to stop it... The more it turned into a head cock.

been reading all of the observations about head/body position, and it made me thing that I tend to look forward mostly, but people say that my demeanor behind the kit is 90% Neil Peart, and 10% Morgan Rose...my over all personality is like that - quiet, reserved and (seemingly) in control most of the time, but I do have spurts of frivolity and stupid craziness if I get moved to be so. I am ALWAYS monitoring the body language of those in stage to make sure that things are comfortable and in control...the show is not about me, it is about us

Silver Member

I can never set my kit up the same way twice. Just when I think I've got the perfect set up, I play a gig & the way I did it there was even better.
May not be a "weird tendency", but I find it weird that I can't just stick to something that works & roll with it!